Mrs. Fine’s Fourth Grade GATE

Go to our book blog here: and respond to the next question.

After you have responded,
download this Jeopardy game into Powerpoint. Play the game with a partner.

First, complete the next question on our discussion blog – http://readingblogs.com/chasingvermeer

When you have submitted your answer, you may go to this link – http://greece.mrdonn.org/games.html
and select activities from this page only.

So, did your child come home and say that they played a game called SCAMPER? Did they tell you the purpose for us in playing this game? No, we did not run about the room:)
Scamper was created by Bob Eberle in 1991. It stands for
Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Modify, Magnify, Minify
Put to other Uses
Eliminate
Re-arrange

Why do it? Children need to start working on their creative thinking now. As an example, imagine that you are a manufacturer of nuts and bolts, and you were looking for new products. SCAMPER would give you:

Substitute – use of high tech materials for niche markets, such as high speed steel? Carbon fiber? Plastics? Glass? Non-reactive material?
Combine – integrate nut and bolt? Bolt and washer? Bolt and spanner?
Adapt – put Allen key or Star head on bolt? Countersink head?
Modify – produce bolts for watches or bridges? Produce different shaped bolts (e.g. screw in plugs)? Pre-painted green bolts?
Put to another use – bolts as hinge pins? As axles?
Eliminate – Eliminate nuts, washers, heads, thread, etc.
Reverse – make dies as well as bolts, make bolts that cut threads for themselves in material, etc.

Using SCAMPER here has helped you define possible new products. Many of the ideas may be impractical or may not suit the equipment used by the manufacturer. However some of these ideas could be good starting points for new products.

I hope your child shared their word boggler with you. Word bogglers promote a way to combine problem solving, visual discrimination, and language. A word boggler is a puzzle, a brain teaser, and a lesson in language, all rolled into one. These clever visual puzzles use words and phrases to build flexible thinking and word literacy. Each word boggler is a word or phrase that has been written so that its meaning is conveyed via the position, number, or size of the words and letters. Some of the puzzles are words while some are familiar idioms and clichés. They bring an opportunity to develop vocabulary and knowledge of often-used phrases in the form of motivating brainteasers. Students analyze the way the words are written (size, position, and direction) to solve each boggler and match it with its definition.

Concepts – what do you mean? Last week and this week, we will be “mapping” different concepts. Just what is a concept? Concepts are connected throughout life such as: patterns, change, conflict, environment, tradition, systems, and justice. There are many more. They are timeless and apply across all cultures. Think of a concept as “the big idea.” Together we created a visual by webbing the concept “tradition.” Then students worked in small groups to web a concept they chose. This year we will include the concepts of adaptation, change, culture, environment, identify and many more through out units.

GATE classes will being the week of August 25. By now, you should have received your bus permission slip (unless you are an EPIC student) from your GATE teacher that comes to your school. Be sure it is signed and returned or you will not be able to get on the bus to our great new GATE year.

Our first class will be a “get to know you” type of class. You will be able to complete a survey called If I Could Run the School, find out what your learning style is, experiment with understanding exactly what a “concept” must be, and, last, but not least – go to the computer lab and learn a new skill using the computer. Can you tell me about Socrates???? Who knows what other surprises await you.

So – get those bus permission slips in and be prepared for a time of your life.

I promised you – here’s another one – a cool website. This is a collection of science experiments, games, and projects to enjoy.

I have discovered this cool site – Wordle- via one of my gifted education buddies. Go to it. Play with it. I used it to create a new header for our page.

I promised my students that I would share my vacation with them via pictures. My new travel blog can be found here.

GIFTED

by Judith K. Schulze

Golly! I just took a test
That says I’m different from the rest.
What am I? Well, I must confess…
I’m “gifted.”

The psychologist said right from his heart,
“I fear that you are rather smart
And from this day you are to start…
Being gifted.”

I think I turned six shades of green
And developed pains down to my spleen.
I asked, “Whatever does it mean?
This word ‘gifted’?”

He said, “You have a high I.Q.
I wish, my child, that I were you!
Why I’d give an arm or leg or two
To be gifted.

My thoughts immediately went adrift
And each idea I did sift.
At last I said, “Give me my gift.
Then I’ll be gifted!”

He laughed for all that he was worth
And nearly doubled up with mirth.
“This gift you have you’ve had since birth.
You’ve BEEN gifted!”

I thought and then when he was done
I asked, “Am I the only one
In this whole school or under the sun
Who is gifted?”

He named the two or three percent
Of students who to classes went.
And then I knew just what this meant,
About gifted.

It could be the best news I’d heard,
But then I thought about a word
And screamed, “But, must I be a nerd
If I’m gifted?”

He laughed again when I was through.
“My child, you’ll always be just you
But smarter than all except a few
‘Cause you’re gifted.”

“Will I be perfect? Get all A’s?
Make the Honor Roll? Get lots of praise?
Have no homework nights and easy days?
Well, I’m gifted!”

“No, others may expect such things;
Just do your best. Be sure it brings
True joy to YOU! You’ll soar on wings
And enjoy being
Gifted.”